Wireless operators are using more spectrum bands and increasingly more spectrum within each band to accommodate increased subscriber traffic, and for the deployment of new radio access technologies. Macro cell base station antennas serving large areas have been used in an effort to meet these traffic demands. These macro cell base station antennas may typically be deployed on a dedicated tower or building top.
A newer trend involves adding small-cell base station antennas (“small-cell antennas”), which may be particularly useful in urban areas. Small-cell antennas are often installed on pre-existing objects of a city infrastructure. For example, a small-cell antenna may be housed within a cylindrical radome that is either mounted on top of a support structure (e.g., a utility pole) or offset to the side of the support structure. Due to real estate constraints, the top of the support structure is often not available. And mounting the antenna offset to a side of the support structure may not be desirable. For example, antennas offset to the side of the support structure may not be aesthetically pleasing. Moreover, when offset, the antenna may radiate RF signals that may be come in contact with the support structure. Stated differently, the support structure may interfere with some of the radiated RF signals, potentially causing scattering. Consequently, antenna patterns of the antenna may be compromised, negatively affecting the performance of the antenna.
As such, it would be desirable to have an antenna capable of being mounted around a support structure, in which case intended RF signals may radiate away from the support structure.